Bush Humor and George Bush Updates

September 28, 2007
President Bush Participates in Major Economies Meeting on Energy Security and Climate Change
U.S. Department of State
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“No one country has all the answers, including mine.”

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“We will set a long-term goal for reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. By setting this goal, we acknowledge there is a problem. And by setting this goal, we commit ourselves to doing something about it. By next summer, we will convene a meeting of heads of state to finalize the goal and other elements of this approach, including a strong and transparent system for measuring our progress toward meeting the goal we set.”

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“Our investments in research and technology are bringing the world closer to a remarkable breakthrough — an age of clean energy where we can power our growing economies and improve the lives of our people and be responsible stewards of the earth the Almighty trusted to our care.”

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“We’re working to develop next-generation plug-in hybrids that will be able to travel nearly 40 miles without using a drop of gasoline. And your automobile doesn’t have to look like a golf cart.” (Laughter.)

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“Ushering in the age of clean energy is an historic undertaking. We take it seriously here in the United States.”

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“Scientists estimate that nearly 20 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas admissions [sic] are attributable to deforestation.”

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“So far my administration has concluded 12 agreements, concluding [sic] up to 50 million acres of forest lands.”

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“There is a way forward that will enable us to grow our economies and protect the environment, and that’s called technology.”

September 27, 2007
President Bush Meets with Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters and Federal Aviation Administration Acting Administrator Bobby Sturgell
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“We’ve been having a discussion about the fact that a lot of our air travelers are not only inconvenienced, they’re — in some cases they’re just not being treated fairly. And there’s a lot of anger amongst our citizens about the fact that, you know, they’re just not being treated right.”

*** “One, to make sure that consumers are treated fairly and complaints are listened to, and that we address some of the egregious behavior that our consumers have been subjected to. Endless hours sitting in a airplane on a runway, and there’s no communication between the pilot and the airport is just not right.”

September 27, 2007
President Bush Signs College Cost Reduction and Access Act
Room 350
Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building
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“The other things is, this is a practical approach to dealing with the fact that we’re — live in an age in which technology is transforming the way we live and work. In order for our citizens to be able to seize the opportunities of a new era, they’re going to have to have skills that can be only learned through a post-secondary education. That’s the realities of the world in which we live.”

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“Times are changing when we were — the baby boomers like me were younger — it’s a different era.”

September 26, 2007
President Bush Discusses No Child Left Behind Reauthorization
Waldorf Astoria
New York, New York
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“As yesterday’s positive Report Card shows, childrens do learn when standards are high and results are measured.”

[NOTE: use of “childrens” evident on video and reported in L.A. Times but corrected in White House transcript]

September 21, 2007
President Bush Welcomes 2006 and 2007 NCAA Sports Champions to White House
The South Lawn
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“When you play hard, you end up right here at the White House.”

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“Pat Summitt knows something about coaching. We’re proud to welcome this soon-to-be, if not already, Hall of Fame* coach, and the ladies basketball team from the University of Tennessee.” (Applause.)

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“This is, by the way, the eighth time in nine years that the Nanooks have been the NCAA champions in Rifle. Interestingly enough, guess who they beat? West Point. Anytime you outshoot West Point, you’re really good at what you do.” (Laughter.)

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“People are wondering how champs behave.”

  *In 1999, Summitt was inducted with the inaugural class to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2000, she joined Isiah Thomas as an inductee into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

September 20, 2007
Press Conference by the President
James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
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“If I had to ask everybody in my government to respond to columns and news stories, that’s all I’d be doing, is talking to people in my government.”

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“I remind people that, like when I’m with Condi I say, she’s the Ph.D. and I’m the C-student, and just look at who’s the President and who’s the advisor.” (Laughter.)

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“Obviously, to the extent that innocent life was lost [in the Blackwater incident], you know, I’m saddened. Our objective is to protect innocent life. And we’ve got a lot of brave souls in the theater working hard to protect innocent life. And evidently some innocent lives were lost.”

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“I thought the [MoveOn General ‘Betrayus’] ad was disgusting. I felt like the ad was an attack not only on General Petraeus, but on the U.S. military. And I was disappointed that not more leaders in the Democrat Party spoke out strongly against that kind of ad. And that leads me to come to this conclusion: that most Democrats are afraid of irritating a left-wing group like MoveOn.org — or more afraid of irritating them than they are of irritating the United States military. That was a sorry deal. It’s one thing to attack me; it’s another thing to attack somebody like General Petraeus.”

September 20, 2007
President Bush Announces Resignation of Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns
Rose Garden
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“Mike came by the White House here a couple of days ago and he asked for my advice — and I appreciate it. Everybody likes to have their counsel sought.”

September 19, 2007
President Bush Discusses the Protect America Act of 2007
National Security Agency
Fort Meade, Maryland
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“The problem is the law [Protect America Act] expires on February 1st — that’s 135 days from today. The threat from al Qaeda is not going to expire in 135 days.”

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“The question I’m going to ask is, do our professionals have the tools necessary to do the job to protect the American people from further attack?”

September 18, 2007
President Bush Meets with Military Support Organizations
South Lawn
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“It’s not only a beautiful morning to sing the national anthem, it’s a beautiful setting in which to sing the national anthem.”

September 17, 2007
President Bush Participates in Video Teleconference with Iraq
Provincial Reconstruction Team Leaders and Brigade Combat Commanders
Roosevelt Room
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“Now, there’s no question we got more work to be done.”